Dangerous Master (26 page)
Nothing.
“Sorry,” Mandy said. “I don’t think even sex is going to do it tonight. I need answers. I need the truth.” Pause. “I need to talk to her.”
“No.”
“Alone.”
“
Hell
no.” Zane swung off her.
Hell
no.” Zane swung off her.
Mandy logrolled over, then sat up. “I don’t believe she could kill me herself. That’s why she hired someone. I’ll be safe.”
Zane crossed his arms over his chest. “She could plan an ambush.”
“We’ll prepare for that possibility.”
He shook his head. His eyes were like ice. “This is a bad idea.”
“But you’ll help me, right?” She turned on the charm, tilting her head to display her sad puppy eyes. “Please?”
“Oh, hell.”
Mandy flung herself at him, knowing he’d catch her. Together, they tumbled onto the mattress, Mandy landing on top. “I love you, Zane.”
Zane’s hard eyes softened. “I love you, too.”
26
T
welve-oh-one.
welve-oh-one.
Sarah was late.
Zane was looking tense. “Something’s not right.”
Mandy was feeling tense. “Sarah’s always late.” That much was true. “She’ll be here.” That much Mandy was beginning to doubt.
“I still think this is a bad idea.”
“You’ve prepared for every possibility imaginable, including a few that are beyond imagining.” Mandy leaned over and slid her arms around his big, hard, stressed-out bulk. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” he grumbled as he pushed to his feet. “I’ll be right over there if you need me.”
Mandy tried to hide her anxiety. She figured she failed. “Thanks.”
The bell above the coffee shop’s door tinkled, signaling the arrival of another customer. As it had the last thirty times, Mandy’s gaze jerked to the entry. This time, she saw Sarah, looking nervous as she scanned the room.
Mandy waved.
Zane was long gone and out of sight by the time Sarah had reached the table. They’d selected that particular spot for a reason. It was located in the back, easy to protect. Zane was hiding in the hallway that led to the bathrooms, wearing an earpiece. He would hear every word Sarah said.
So would the hidden video camera Mandy had placed in the table’s centerpiece.
“Where have you been?” Sarah exclaimed, playing the part of worried best friend to perfection. This girl should win an Oscar. She had some skills. “I was so worried about you after you took off with my car.”
“I didn’t total it, if that’s what you’re worried about. I left it at a bowling alley.”
“I know. I had it tracked. GPS.” Sarah pulled a face. “Of course, I wasn’t worried about the car. I was concerned about you.”
“Of course you were.” The sarcasm in her voice couldn’t be clearer.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means, there’s a reason why I ran away. I heard what you said.”
Sarah’s face took on the pasty shade of uncooked bread dough. It wasn’t a good look for her. She shifted in her chair. Her gaze lurched away, then bounced back. “What did you hear?”
“Oh, something about wanting me dead—”
“I wasn’t talking about you. Why would I want you dead? You’re my best friend.”
“Exactly.” Mandy didn’t say anything for a while. She let her former best friend squirm. Finally, she raised her eyebrows. “So, what’s the story?”
“I don’t know what you mean. I didn’t say anything about wanting anyone dead. I think you must’ve been hallucinating or something. Maybe it was the drugs—”
Hah!
“How did you know I’d been drugged?” Mandy snapped.
“How did you know I’d been drugged?” Mandy snapped.
“It was... just a guess. I mean, you were acting like you were on something. I thought Zane had dosed you when you went to his suite.”
“Zane.” Mandy shook her head, a humorless laugh filling the awkward silence. “I ate nothing that night. Drank nothing, other than that fucking berry concoction you handed me. It tasted like shit, but you’d convinced me it was awful because it was healthy.”
“There was nothing wrong with that drink. He could’ve injected you—”
“I had no needle marks.”
“Perhaps they were hidden.”
“I went to the hospital. What do you think the doctors found in my blood and urine tests?”
Sarah’s lips were becoming mighty thin. “I wouldn’t know.”
“GHB.”
“If you were dosed, it wasn’t by me.”
Mandy slapped her hands onto the table. The sound echoed through the entire shop. Heads turned. Curious eyes shifted to them. Mandy said, “Bullshit. I know it was you. If you don’t want me to go to the cops, you’d better tell me what the hell is going on.”
Sarah glanced over her shoulder, toward the door.
“Looking for someone?”
“No,” Sarah snapped.
“Dammit, you owe me an explanation.”
Sarah stared at her for one, two, three seconds. “I can’t ...” Her eyes blinked. The whites were turning red. Quickly.
This was not the behavior of a woman who was capable of planning a murder for her own selfish reasons.
Then again, Mandy couldn’t deny Sarah’s acting talent. Was this teary-eyed scene an act? Or was it real?
“Okay.” Sarah nodded. “You’re right.” She grabbed a paper napkin and wiped her watery eyes. “I did hire someone to kill you. But it got all fucked up.”
Mandy’s heart sank. “Why?”
Sarah’s jaw clenched. “Because ... I was jealous. Of you and Zane. You know, I’ve wanted him. For ages.”
“Wanted
him?
For what? He’s a dom. You’re a dom.”
him?
For what? He’s a dom. You’re a dom.”
“He’s a man. I’m a woman. And I’ve been in love with him since the moment I met him.”
“Really.” Why didn’t this make sense?
Sarah was doing a lot of sniffling now. And she was not keeping up with the tear flowage. Her face was getting wetter by the second. “I’m a bitch. I deserve to go to prison.”
“Then you’ll get what you having coming, I guess.”
Sarah nodded. Stood. “Okay. I suppose I should make some arrangements.”
“As long as they don’t involve vacation plans in, say, Mexico.”
“I won’t run. There’s no use. They’ll find me.” Sarah stood. Turned around. Walked out the door.
Mandy knew she was going to cry again. She grabbed Zane and rushed from the building just as the first sob tore up her throat. Zane held her. Stroked her back, her head. When she was done, she looked up into his dark eyes. “She said it was because of you.”
“I heard.” He looked genuinely confused.
“She said she’s been in love with you for a long time. That she was jealous because you love me.”
“Do you believe her?” he asked.
“I don’t know.”
“I think she’s lying,” he said.
Mandy was having her own doubts.
This wasn’t making sense. None of it did, actually. But Mandy figured that was because she was an emotional basket case, and how could any of it make sense when her world was all ajumble? “But I told her I’d be pressing charges. She knows she’ll go to prison. She didn’t try to talk me out of it.”
“Okay, so if she’s lying, why? Why would she be willing to go to prison for a crime she didn’t commit?”
“I wish I knew.”
Three weeks later, Mandy still didn’t know if Sarah had lied or not. She’d given everything she had to the police, including the recorded confession. They’d taken things from there, issuing formal charges. Sarah was now sitting in jail, awaiting a trial that wouldn’t take place for months.
Mandy did what she could to move on. She hired a new receptionist. His name was Max. He was young. He was enthusiastic. He did his job well ... but he wasn’t Sarah. Regardless, Mandy pushed on, pretty much throwing herself into her work. At night, she fell into bed, too exhausted to think about Sarah—for more than a few minutes. And during the day, she was too busy to think about much of anything.
Things with Zane progressed slowly. He didn’t pressure her into making a decision about Bruce. She was grateful for that fact. Still, she knew they continued with their relationship, spending time together when Mandy wasn’t around. It was a simple case of necessity. She knew that. But a part of her wondered if she was losing Zane because of what the two of them shared.
This week, she decided she’d see if she could handle being with them. Just this once. If it didn’t work out, she’d go back to the way it was before—the boys doing their thing while she
tried
to pretend it wasn’t happening.
tried
to pretend it wasn’t happening.
God, she hoped she could handle it.
She called Zane on Wednesday. They made plans for Friday.
Today was Friday.
Mandy was ready...well, as ready as she was ever going to be. She was dressed to kill. She’d waxed, plucked, and buffed her skin to smooth perfection. She’d curled her hair into a mass of bouncy ringlets, just the way Zane liked it. And she’d carefully applied her makeup to accentuate her eyes and mouth. The overall effects, she’d have to admit, were more than impressive.
Still, she was nervous as hell as she
click-clacked
up Zane’s front steps. Zane greeted her at the door, sweeping her into an embrace that melted away the worst of her anxiety.
click-clacked
up Zane’s front steps. Zane greeted her at the door, sweeping her into an embrace that melted away the worst of her anxiety.
“How are you?” he asked, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.
“I’m better now.”
“Good. This way.” He led her to the dining room, an arm looped around her back. Bruce was sitting at the table. He was wearing clothes. That set Mandy somewhat at ease. He smiled. Mandy made her best effort at smiling back. Zane pulled out the chair opposite Bruce’s. “I hope you’re hungry.”
“A little.” Mandy settled into the chair, giving Zane a “Thanks,” over her shoulder after he pushed it in for her.
Zane took his seat at the head of the table.
Mandy glanced at Bruce, then focused her attention on Zane during the appetizers. Zane didn’t eat. Not a bite.
It was quiet. Eerily so.
Finally, Zane broke the silence. “Bruce, Amanda is a private detective. She runs her own agency.”
Strained small talk ensued. Mandy told Bruce about her work. He told her about his—he was a librarian. She discovered they had two things in common—Zane, of course, and loving the challenge of uncovering a hidden truth.
Outside of those two things, they lived very different lifestyles. Bruce had fathered five children, all of whom were fully grown. He looked like he couldn’t be a day over thirty. Zane explained the slower aging was a side effect of his venom. Mandy began to wonder if being a vampire’s food source had other perks as well.
By the time dessert had been served, Mandy was feeling slightly more at ease. Of course, her nerves became all jumpy and jerky the minute the meal was over and Zane suggested they head up to his suite.
Upstairs, he offered Mandy a drink. She decided one little wine cooler wouldn’t hurt. She sat on the couch, flung one leg over the other, and gulped the alcohol, hoping the big meal she’d just eaten wouldn’t keep her from catching a little buzz. At the moment, she needed some liquid courage.
Zane sat beside her, resting one hand on her thigh. Bruce took the seat on her other side. When he placed his hand on her other knee, she bristled.
How the hell would she get through this?
“Relax, Amanda. You’ve enjoyed having other men touch you before.”
“I know. But this is different somehow.” She glanced at the half-empty bottle. The fruity beverage was almost sickly sweet. It wasn’t sitting so good. She set it down.
“I have an idea.” Zane went to his closet of toys and returned with a blindfold. “You won’t know whose hand is where.”
“Maybe. Maybe not,” she said.
“Trust me.”
She indicated he could go ahead with a nod. What the hell? It was worth a shot. The alcohol wasn’t working. She really wanted to enjoy this experience. Zane was one of the most beautiful men she’d ever seen. Bruce came in a close second. If she could get past her anxiety, she might have fun with this.
Zane tied the blindfold on and her world went dark.
Her heart, which had already been thumping heavily, started racing. Her mouth went dry.
“I’m your king,” Zane whispered in her ear. He nipped her earlobe. “You’ll do as I wish.” How she loved it when Zane took charge like that. A little shiver of excitement raced through her body. Two hands skimmed up her thighs. “Your body is mine. Always mine.” Her knees were drawn apart. Heat rushed to her core. “Mmmm. You smell good. Woman. Need.” A fingertip flicked over her pussy, covered by a thin layer of satin. She slid down until her bottom rested on the very edge of the cushion. Her back arched, tilting her hips up. “Patience, Amanda. You’ll get my cock soon. But not yet.”
Her wet pussy clenched. She was definitely getting into this.
Thank God for blindfolds.
Thank God for blindfolds.
Someone lifted her ass off the couch. Her panties were tugged down over her hips. Little nibbles and kisses were trailed along both legs as the garment was slowly pulled lower, lower. Then they were gone, and her pussy was aching to be filled. A steady throb of moist heat pulsed through her groin. Her nipples were tingling, their points pushing at the thin material of her dress.
“Are you getting warm, Amanda?” Zane asked.
He knew the answer. “Touch me and you’ll find out for yourself.”
His chuckle reverberated through her whole system. “We’re going to make you burn.”
“Promises, promises,” she said on a contented sigh. Someone had decided she didn’t need to wear her dress any longer. That someone was a god. Now fully nude, she was lounging on the couch while two sets of hands and two mouths explored and teased and nipped and tasted. She was quickly racing toward orgasm. And just as fast concluding that the threesome thing was not a bad idea at all.
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